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CONSTITUTION  AND  CANONS 


OF  THE 

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SYNOD  OF  CHICAGO,  - 

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NOV  1-1928 

.  OF  THE 

UNWEP.SITV  OrALUKC: 

Reformed  Episcopal  Church 

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ADOPTED  IN  SYNODICAL  COUNCIL 
HELD  IN  TRINITY  CHURCH 
ASHTABULA,  OHIO 


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October  18  -  19,  1905 


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CONSTITUTION  AND  CANONS 


OF  THE 

SYNOD  OF  CHICAGO 


THE  CONSTITUTION 

ARTICLE  1. 

The  Synod  of  Chicago,  as  a  constituent  part  of  the  Re¬ 
formed  Episcopal  Church,  accedes  to  and  adopts  the  Consti¬ 
tution  and  Canons  of  that  Church. 

ARTICLE  II. 

The  Synod. 

The  Synod  of  Chicago  shall  consist  of  the  authorized 
voters  of  all  organized  parishes  and  missions  and  all  ministers 
of  the  Reformed  Episcopal  Church,  not  attached  to  any  other 
Episcopal  jurisdiction,  which  have  complied  or  shall  comply 
with  the  Constitution  and  Canons  of  this  Synod.  They  shall 
be  represented  at  all  Synodical  Councils  as  the  Constitution 
and  Canons  of  this  Synod  direct. 

ARTICLE  III. 

Councils. 

There  shall  be  an  Annual  Council  of  the  Synod  on  the 
third  Wednesday  of  October,  at  such  hour  and  place  as  the 
Bishop,  or  in  his  absence,  the  Standing  Committee,  may  de¬ 
termine.  Other  meetings  of  the  Council  may  be  held  upon  its 


own  adjournment,  or  upon  the  call  of  the  Bishop,  or  in  his 
absence,  of  the  Standing  Committee.  Provided,  That  upon 
emergent  occasion,  the  Bishop  may  change  the  time  and  place 
of  meeting  of  the  Annual  Council. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

Delegates. 

The  Council  shall  consist  of  all  ministers  of  this  Church 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  this  Synod,  and  of  lay  delegates 
from  each  organized  parish  in  union  with  this  Synod.  Each 
parish  may  send  two  lay  delegates,  and  one  additional  for 
every  fifty  communicants.  Lay  delegates  shall  in  all  cases  be 
communicants.  A  Mission  may  be  represented  by  one  lay 
delegate. 

ARTICLE  V. 

Election  of  Bishop. 

The  election  of  a  Bishop  of  this  Synod  shall  be  made  in  an 
Annual  Council,  or  in  a  Special  Council  called  for  the  purpose. 
At  least  thirty  days  before  the  time  appointed,  notice  in  writ¬ 
ing  of  the  election  shall  be  sent  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Stand¬ 
ing  Committee  to  every  clergyman  and  vestry  in  the  Synod. 
A  majority  of  the  clergy  must  be  present,  and  a  majority  of 
the  parishes  must  be  represented.  The  vote  shall  be  by  or¬ 
ders,  and  a  majority  of  both  orders  shall  be  necessary  to  a 
choice. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

Bishop  to  Preside. 

The  Bishop  of  the  Synod  shall  preside  in  the  Council,  and 
may  deliver  his  sentiments  on  any  subject  after  it  has  been 
discussed,  and  before  a  vote  thereon.  In  the  absence  of  the 
Bishop  a  president  pro  tempore  shall  be  elected  from  among 
the  presbyters  present. 


6 


■/  -  ARTICLE  VII. 

Secretary  and  Treasurer. 

At  each  Annual  Council  there  shall  be  elected  a  Secre¬ 
tary  and  a  Treasurer  of  the  Synod  who  shall  perform  the 
duties  of  their  respective  offices,  and  remain  in  office  until 
their  successors  are  elected.  They  shall  be  ex-officio  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Annual  Council  of  the  Synod. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

Standmg  Committee. 

-  At  each  Annual  Council  there  shall  be  elected  a  Standing 
Committee,  consisting  of  three  presbyters  and  three  laymen, 
who  shall  continue  in  office  until  their  successors  are- elected. 
Of  this  committee  the  Bishop  shall  be  ex-officio  chairman.  In 
case  of  a  vacancy  in  the  bishopric  the  Standing  Committee 
shall  perform  the  executive  duties  usually  devolving  on  the 
Bishop. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

Financial  Board. 

At  each  Annual  Council  there  shall  be  elected  a  Financial 
Board,  consisting  of  three  clergymen  and  three  laymen,  the 
Bishop  and  Treasurer  of  the  Synod  being  also  ex-officio 
members,  which  shall  have  control  of  all  current  funds  of  the 
Synod  for  missionary  and  other  purposes. 

ARTICLE  X. 

Directors  of  Synod. 

There  shall  be  elected  annually  by  the  Council  a  Board  of 
five  Directors  of  the  Synod,  which  Board  shall  receive  and 
hold  in  trust,  invest,  change  investment,  control  and  care 
for  all  permanent  funds  and  other  property  of  the  Synod,  and 
may,  by  vote  of  at  least  four  members,  authorize  the  mort¬ 
gaging,  encumbering,  selling  and  conveying  any  and  all  prop- 


i 


erty  of  the  Synod,  in  their  discretion.  The  Bishop  shall  be, 
ex-officio,  the  president  and  convener  of  the  board. 

ARTICLE  XI. 

Manner  of  Conveyance. 

All  conveyances  of  real  or  personal  property  by  the  Synod 
of  Chicago,  shall  be  executed  by  the  Bishop  in  the  corporate 
name,  after  vote  by  the  Board  of  Directors  authorizing,  the 
same. 

ARTICLE  XII. 

Vote  by  Orders. 

Any  vote  shall  be  by  orders  when  called  for  by  four  mem¬ 
bers  of  the  Synod. 

ARTICLE  XIII. 

Quorum. 

Five  clergymen,  and  four'  lay  delegates  representing  four 
parishes,  shall  form  a  quorum,  but  a  smaller  number  may  ad¬ 
journ  from  time  to  time. 

*  ARTICLE  XIV. 

Amendments. 

This  Constitution  may  be  amended  whenever  an  amend¬ 
ment  shall  be  approved  at  one  Annual  Council,  and  finally 
agreed  to  at  the  next  Annual  Council.  Provided,  That  amend¬ 
ments  may  be  made  at  any  Annual  Council  by  unanimous 
consent. 


8 


THE  CANONS 


TITLE  I. 

OF  THE  SYNOD. 

Canon  I.  Of  a  List  of  Ministers. 


Within  one  week  before  the  meeting  of  the  Annual  Coun¬ 
cil,  the  Bishop,  or  if  there  be  no  Bishop,  the  Standing  Com¬ 
mittee,  shall  prepare,  or  cause  to  be  prepared,  a  list  of  the 
names  of  all  the  Ministers  under  the  jurisdiction  of  this  Syn¬ 
od,  with  the  names  of  their  respective  charges,  or  if  without 
charge,  their  places  of  residence.  And  also,  with  particulars 
of  time  and  place,  the  names  of  all  ministers  who  have  been 
ordained,  or  received  from  other  churches,  or  who  have 
resigned  or  died,  or  may  have  been  subjected  to  discipline 
since  the  preceding  Annual  Council.  Such  list  shall  be  laid 
before  the  Council  immediately  after  it  shall  have  been  called 
to  order,  and  the  names  of  the  clerical  members  called  there¬ 
from.  This  list  shall  be  published  in  the  Journal,  and  the 
Secretary  of  the  Synod  shall  send  a  copy  of  the  same  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  General  Council. 

Canon  II.  Of  the  Secretary. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Secretary  to  take  minutes  and 
record  all  proceedings  of  the  Council,  to  attest  its  public  acts, 
preserve  its  records,  and  notify  the  parishes  thirty  days  in  ad¬ 
vance  of  the  times  and  places  of  all  meetings  of  the  Council. 
In  giving  notice  of  the  meeting  of  the  Annual  Council,  he 
shall  send  a  form  of  parochial  report  as  set  forth  in  the  appen¬ 
dix  to  the  Journal  of  the  General  Council,  and  of  a  certificate 
of  election  of  lay-  delegates  to  the  Council.  He  shall  tabulate 


9 


the  parochial  reports  when  returned,  and  present  such  tabula¬ 
tion  to  the  Council  and  incorporate  it  in  the  Journal.  He 
shall  direct  the  printing  and  distribution  to  the  parishes  of  the 
Journal  within  thirty  days  of  the  adjournment  of  the  Annual 
Council,  and  shall  carefully  preserve  in  the  synodical  archives 
at  least  five  copies  thereof.  In  case  of  a  vacancy  the  Bishop 
shall  appoint  a  Secretary  to  serve  till  the  next  meeting  of  the 
Council. 


Canon  III.  Of  the  Treasurer. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Treasurer  to  receive  all  moneys 
of  the  Synod  the  collections  of  which  shall  not  be  otherwise 
regulated,  to  disburse  the  same  under  direction  of  the  Finan¬ 
cial  Board.  He  shall  quarterly  notify  each  parish  of  its  dues 
Or  pledges  to  the  Synodical  Fund,  and  when  the  same  are 
to  be  paid. 

His  accounts  shall  be  rendered  to  the  Annual  Council  and 
audited  by  a  committee  consisting  of  the  lay  members  of  the 
Financial  Board.  In  case  of  a  vacancy  the  Financial  Board 
shall  appoint  a  treasurer  to  fill  the  unexpired  term. 

Canon  IV.  Of  the  Financial  Board.  - 

The  Financial  Board  shall  have  control  of  all  moneys 
raised  by  pledge  or  assessment  of  the  parishes  or  otherwise 
(except  such  permanent  funds  as  are  properly  under  control 
of  the  Board  of  Directors)  for  all  current  expenses  of  the 
Synod.  In  particular  it  shall  have  the  oversight  and  control 
of  expenditures  for  the  missionary  work  of  the  Synod,  and 
shall  exercise  special  care  that  parish  property  which  shall 
have  been  acquired  in  whole  or  in  part  bv  grants  from  the 
Board,  be  secured  to  the  Reformed  Episcopal  .Church.  And 
it  shall  make  the  amount  of  its  grants  to  any  parish  for  the 
acquisition  of  any  real  property  a  perpetual  lien  upon  such 
property  or  its  proceeds  after  sale,  payable  to  the  Directors 
of  the  Synod  whenever  such  property  or  its  proceeds  shall  be 
alienated"  from  the  Uses  of  the  Reformed  Episcopal  Church, 


10 


I 


Canon  V.  Of  the  Directors. 

Sec.  i.  The  Directors  shall  have  the  care  of  all  perma¬ 
nent  and  trust  funds  of  the  Synod,  and  of  all  such  as  may  by 
gift  or  devise  for  any  special  purpose  become  the  property  of 
the  Synod,  unless  other  Trustees  are  named. 

Sec.  2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Directors  hot  only  to 
care  for  all  property  placed  in  their  charge,  but  to  take  all 
legal  measures  needed  to  establish  a  title  to  the  property  of 
extinct  parishes. 

Sec.  3.  The  Directors  shall  give  such  bonds  as  the 
Council,  from  time  to  time,  may  require,  and  shall  make  full 
report  to  each  Annual  Council  of  the  condition  of  their 
trusts. 


TITLE  II. 

THE  PARISH. 

Canon  I.  Of  the  Admission  of  Parishes. 

Sec.  1.  In  accordance  with  Title  II,  Canon  4,  Sec.  8,  of 
the  Reformed  Episcopal  Church,  the  consent  of  the  Standing 
Committee  is  a  prerequisite  to  the  formation  of  a  new  parish 
of  this  Synod. 

Sec.  2.  For  the  organization  of  a  new  parish,  the  fol¬ 
lowing  article  of  association  and  conformity  shall  be  signed 
by  at  least  twelve  persons  of  adult  age  who  intend  to  be  sup¬ 
porters  of  the  parish,  to-wit : 

We,  the  undersigned,  do  associate  ourselves  for  the  purpose  of 
maintaining  the  worship  of  God  and  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  ac¬ 
cording  to  the  doctrine,  discipline  and  worship  of  the  Reformed  Epis¬ 
copal  Church,  under  the  name  of  the  Parish  of - •  Church,  in  the 

town  (or  city)  of - ,  and  State  of - ,  and  do  promise  con¬ 

formity  to  the  Constitution  and  Canons  of  the  Reformed  Episcopal 
Church  and  of  the  Synod  of  Chicago. 

Sec.  3.  A  parish  already  in  communion  with  the  Re¬ 
formed  Episcopal  Church  may  be  admitted  to  this  Synod  by 
the  Standing  Committee  on  its  giving  in,  with  its  petition  for 
admission,  its  acceptance  of  the  Constitution  and  Canons  of 


11 


this  Synod,  duly  certified  as  the  act  of  a  parish  meeting-  by 
the  Secretary  thereof ;  Provided,  That  in  every  such  case  the 
consent  of  the  Bishop  and  Standing  Committee,  or,  if  there 
be  no  Bishop,  of  the  Standing  Committee  of  the  Synod  or 
Jurisdiction  to  which  the  parish  has  belonged,  be  given. 

Sec.  4.  A  parish  of  another  Church  that  may  desire  to  be 
received  into  union  with  this  Church  and  Synod  may  be  re¬ 
ceived  by  the  Standing  Committee  upon  presentation  to  them 
of  its  acceptance  of  the  Constitution  and  Canons  of  the  Re¬ 
formed  Episcopal  Church  and  of  this  Synod,  and  of  the  doc¬ 
trine,  discipline  and  worship  of  this  Church,  duly  certified 
as  the  act  of  a  parish  meeting  bv  the  Secretary  thereof. 

Sec.  5.  In  cases  where  parochial  organization  is  not'  ex- 
v  pedient,  a  Mission  of  this  Church  may  be  organized  and  ad¬ 
mitted  to  this  Synod  on  presentation  of  the  article  of  associa¬ 
tion  and  conformity  as  in  Sec.  2  of  this  Canon,  signed  by  at 
least  five  persons  of  adult  age. 

Canon  II.  Of  the  Annual  Parish  Meeting. 

Sec.  1.  I11  each  parish,  annually  during  Easter  week,  or 

on  some  other  convenient  occasion,  an  election  shall  be  held 
for  Wardens,  Vestrymen,  Parish  Council,  Deputies  to  the 
General  Council,  and  Delegates  to  the  Synodical  Council. 
Wardens,  Parish  Council,  Deputies  and  Delegates  shall  be 
chosen  from  among  the  communicants,  and,  when  practicable, 
Vestrymen,  also.  It  is  recommended  that  the  Vestrymen  be 
so  chosen  that  one-third  of  the  entire  number  shall  be  elected 
each  year. 

Sec.  2.  A  parish  or  congregation  consists  of  all  the  per¬ 
sons  enrolled  as  communicants  or  stated  worshippers  in  that 
congregation,  and  who,  in  greater  or  less  degree,  contribute 
to  its  support,  and  have  been  thus  connected  with  the  parish 
for  the  six  months  preceding.  All  such  persons  of  full  age 
are  entitled  to  vote  for  Wardens,  Vestrymen  and  Delegates ; 
but  only  communicants  can  vote  for  Deputies  and  for  Parish 
Council.  In  any  case  of  dispute  as-  to  the  qualifications  of 
electors,  the  decision  shall  rest  with  the  Wardens. 


12 


Sec.  3.  The  election  of  Lay  Delegates  shall  be  certified 
by  the.  Secretary  of  the  Vestry,  or  some  other  officer  of  the 
parish,  in  the  form  following,  to-wit : 

At  a  parish  meeting  of  -  Church,  -  having - 

communicants,  held  on - ,  19 — ,  the  following  named  communicants 

of  said  Church  were  appointed  its  Lay  Delegates  to  the  Synodical 

Council. 

This  certificate  shall  be  returned  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Council  on  or  before  the  first  day  of  October,  and  by  him  be 
laid  before  the  Committee  on  Credentials  of  the  Council. 

In  case,  however,  it  be  found  that  any  of  the  Delegates 
chosen  at  the  Parish  Meeting  are  not  able  to  attend  the  Coun¬ 
cil,  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  Rector  and  Wardens  to  select 
substitutes  for  such  Delegates,  and  to  certify  to  such  appoint¬ 
ment. 

Sec.  4.  When  no  election  is  made  of  the  Parish  Council 
required  by  Title  II,  Canon  4,  Sec.  6,  of  the  Reformed  Epis¬ 
copal  Church,  the  Wardens  shall  act  as  such  Council  when 
required.  It  is  recommended,  in  general,  that  the  communi¬ 
cants  of  each  parish  constitute  the  Wardens  thereof  its  Parish 
Council. 

Sec.  5.  At  the  annual  parish  meeting  reports  in  writing 
shall  be  made  by  the  Rector,  of  the  spiritual  condition  of  the 
parish,  with  a  synopsis  of  his  official  labors,  and  the  showings 
of  the  parish  register ;  and  from  all  other  departments  of  work 
in  connection  with  the  parish.  The  Treasurer  shall,  together 
with  his  itemized  report,  present  his  vouchers,  and  his  report 
shall  be  audited  by  a  committee  of  two  or  more,  of  whom  one 
shall  not  have  been  a  member  of  the  Vestry  for  the  year  pre¬ 
ceding. 

Sec.  6.  The  provisions  of  this  Canon  shall  not  apply  when 
they  conflict  with  the  civil  laws. 

Canon  III.  Of  the  Wardens  and  Vestry. 

Sec.  1.  The  Wardens  and  Vestry  shall  meet  as  soon  as 
'  practicable  after  the  annual  election,  and  organize  by  electing 
a  Secretary  and  Treasurer  and  such  other  officers  as  may  be 


13 


necessary.  Other  meetings  may  be  called  by  the  Rector  or 
either  of  the  Wardens,  and  shall  be  called  whenever  requested 
bv  any  two  members. 

Sec.  2.  Vacancies  occurring  in  the  Vestry  during  the 
year  may  be  filled  by  the  remaining  members. 

Sec.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Wardens  and  Vestry 
to  take  charge  of  the  property  of  the  parish,  to  regulate  all 
its  temporal  concerns,  to  elect  and  call  a  Rector,  and  pro¬ 
vide  for  his  maintenance,  and  to  employ  such  assistance  as 
may  be  necessary  for  the  proper  rendering  of  the  music  and 
care  of  the  building. 

Sec.  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Wardens,  especially, 
to  provide  the  elements  for  the  Lord’s  Supper,  and  to  take 
charge  of  the  plate  therefor,  to  provide  suitable  vestments  for 
the  minister  or  ministers,  and  unless  other  persons  are  desig¬ 
nated  as  the  Parish  Council,  to  act  as  such ;  and  while  the 
parish  is  destitute  of  a  minister,  to  provide  for  the  celebration 
of  public  worship  by  clerical  services  or  by  lay  reading. 

TITLE  III. 

WORK  AND  WORSHIP. 

Canon  I.  Of  Order  in  Worship. 

Sec.  1.  In  the  conduct  of  the  worship  of  the  Church, 
where  there  is  no  Rubric  or  Canon,  or  where  the  Rubric  or 
Canon  is  susceptible  of  various  interpretations,  recourse  shall 
be  had  to  the  Bishop  in  case  of  doubt  or  dispute,  and  his  de¬ 
cision  shall  be  authoritative,  subject,  however,  to  revision  by 
the  Synodical  or  General  Council. 

Sec.  2.  At  evening  prayer  on  the  Lord’s  Day  except  on 
special  occasion,  so  much  of  the  regular  order  of  evening 
prayer  set  forth  in  the  Prayer  Book  of  the  Church  shall  be 
used  as  shall  make  such  service  distinctly  liturgical  in  charac¬ 
ter,  the  Bishop  being  the  judge. 


14 


Canon  II.  Of  Lay  Readers. 

No-one  shall  habitually  officiate  as  lay  reader  in  any  par¬ 
ish  of  this  Synod  without  a  license  from  the  Bishop,  or,  in 
case  of  a  vacancy  in  the  episcopate,  from  the  Standing  Com¬ 
mittee  ;  and  such  license  shall  expire  at  the  Easter  following 
its  issue,  unless  renewed,  and  may  be  revoked  at  any  time  by 
the  issuing  authority. 

Canon  III.  Of  Collections  and  Assessments. 

Sec.  i.  Collections  shall  be  taken  in  the  Synod  as  follows: 

Such  collections  as  may  be  needed  to  raise  the  amount  pledged  to 
the  Synodical  Fund.  It  is  recommended  that  these  collections  be  made 
quarterly. 

Sec.  2.  The  alms  at  the  time  of  celebrating  the  Lord’s 
Supper  shall  at  the  discretion  of  the  Vestry  be  placed  at  the 
disposal  of  the  minister  for  such  charitable  and  pious  uses  as 
he  may  deem  expedient.  If  there  be  no  minister,  the  wardens 

may  disburse  the  communion  alms. 

I  hereby  certify  -that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  copy  of  the  Consti¬ 
tution  and  Canons  of  the  Synod  of  Chicago  of  the  Reformed  Episcopal 
Church,  as  adopted  by  the  Synodical  Council  held  in  Trinity  Church, 
Ashtabula,  Ohio,  October  18-19,  1905. 

BENJAMIN  RUSH  THORNBURY, 

Secretary  of  the  Synod. 

7046  Yale  Avenue,  Chicago,  Ill. 


15 


